The Hindu : National : BCCI not to lodge complaint with Cricket Australia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 08, 2006
ePaper

National

National

BCCI not to lodge complaint with Cricket Australia

``A matter of etiquette and manners''

TOUCHY ISSUE: Australian players hold the Champion's Trophy as Damien Martin (left) nudges BCCI president Sharad Pawar during the presentation ceremony of the ICC Champions Trophy tournament in Mumbai on Sunday. — Photo: REUTERS

New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will not lodge an official protest with Cricket Australia against the conduct of some of its players who nudged BCCI president Sharad Pawar during the prize distribution ceremony of the Champions Trophy in Mumbai on Sunday.

The Board said Mr. Pawar did not want to make an issue of the incident.

``It is purely a matter of etiquette and manners. In my view the Australian Board should tell the players how to behave,'' BCCI's Media and Co-ordination Committee convener Rajiv Shukla said.

``It is the magnanimity of Pawar that he does not want to give any importance to this incident. It is now up to Cricket Australia to look into the matter and take appropriate action against the players. They have to ensure that such incidents are not repeated on the field.''

Legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar, who was present on the stage, said he was not amused when an Australian player greeted Mr. Pawar as ``hiya buddy.''

``I am not amused by one of the Australian players who said `hiya buddy' when he went up to receive his medallion from Mr. Pawar,'' he was quoted as saying by a Mumbai eveninger.

``Just receive it quietly. You are not in your country. In India, we respect our elders. Certain decorum has to be maintained, you have to show respect. Would they have done such a thing to their Prime Minister?'' he said. ``I think the entire country should unite on the issue and we should lodge a written complain to ICC because it is not a small issue.''

Former cricketer Yashpal Sharma said the BCCI should lodge a complaint with the ICC, the game's world governing body.

Not proper: Deshmukh

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh criticised the behaviour of the Aussies. ``Whatever I saw on television was not a good thing.

He (Pawar) is a great leader and the BCCI president. They did not show proper behaviour to him while he was handing over the Trophy. This is very bad,'' Mr. Deshmukh said. — PTI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National